1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to monitoring the movement of objects and more specifically to ID proximity monitoring when monitoring the dispensing of beverages.
2. Related Art
Establishments, such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs, lounges, hotels, etc., lose a significant amount of revenue due to pilferage at the point of sale, pilferage of bottles from the bar and storage areas and dispensing of drinks to “buddies.” In addition revenue loss is also attributable to manual and error-prone methods of establishing and keeping metrics. Critical metrics such as pouring cost, pour accuracy and inventory values are calculated as infrequently as once a month, or manually on “inventory” day. The task of counting and measuring beverage inventory and calculating pouring costs is time consuming and open to intentional and unintentional errors.
Technical solutions exist that address some of the described problems. For instance multiple serving bottles can be fitted with a control or counting device in the neck of the bottle, or drinks can be dispensed through a gun or other electro/mechanical device. Other solutions include measuring the amount poured prior to serving, or weighing bottles after each serving or at the end of a shift or week. These solutions are typically used in airports and casinos where customer satisfaction takes second place to controls. Further these controlled-pour solutions require cleaning between uses.
Existing systems and methods have a negative impact on customers and on the bar aesthetic, and are therefore rejected by the vast majority of establishments. Thus, most establishments, such as casual and fine dining, choose to suffer pilferage and inefficiencies that are endemic to the industry, rather than aggravate their customers with controlled or measured pours and devices that disturb the ambiance and aesthetic of the point of sale.